The shoulder joint is formed at the convergence of the proximal humerus and the glenoid. More particularly, and looking now at FIGS. 1-3, the proximal humerus comprises a protrusion (or “head”), and the lateral glenoid comprises a recess (or “socket”) for receiving the protrusion (or head) of the proximal humerus. Soft tissue (e.g., ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc.) stabilize the joint and permit the proximal humerus to articulate through a range of motion with respect to the glenoid.
Shoulder joint replacement surgery seeks to replace one or more of the operative elements of the shoulder joint with prosthetic components so as to provide long-lasting function and pain-free mobility. By way of example but not limitation, in a “standard” shoulder joint replacement surgery, the proximal humerus may be replaced by a prosthetic ball-and-stem, the lateral glenoid may be replaced by a prosthetic socket, or both. By way of further example but not limitation, in a “reverse” shoulder joint replacement surgery, the proximal humerus may be provided with a prosthetic socket and the lateral glenoid may be provided with a prosthetic protrusion.